Reebok Match Day Pump

"Pump Up, Air Out"

That was the original ad campaign behind the launch of the Reebok Pump system back in 1989. Partly describing the Pump operation and partly a stab at Nike's Air cushioning, the Pump campaign and Pump shoes proved very popular for Reebok.

The Reebok Pump ERS basketball shoe was the first shoe from Reebok to feature an inflatable bladder in the tongue. Pumping an orange basketball on the tongue of the shoe inflated the bladder. With a retail price higher than most other basketball shoes ($350-$400), the Pump ERS gained notoriety both on the court as a performance shoe and off the court as a "status symbol" casual shoe. With the Pump system proving popular in basketball, Reebok introduced the Pump to its lineup of shoes for other sports.

If you were a tennis fan during the 1990s, you were likely one of millions amazed by the foot speed of professional player Michael Chang. Chang's shoe of choice was the Reebok Court Victory Pump. Probably the ideal athlete to market a tennis shoe, Chang's court coverage was second to none. Almost every televised Chang match would feature a close-up of his feet while the commentators discussed the greatness of his footwork. Needless to say, the Court Victory Pump was a success.

Fast forward to 2005, and the Pump is back in tennis. The 3D Match Day Pump, as tested here, offers the performance of the original Court Victory Pump, but in a more durable and stable package. With modern, aggressive styling, the 3D Match Day Pump features aggressive styling in a variety of color combinations designed to fit the modern aggressive playing style.

Well, the TW playtest crew is a colorful and competitive bunch, so we pumped up our games and hit the courts for an extensive playtest of various colors of the 3D Match Day Pumps.

Comfort

With soft, pliable uppers, plenty of cushioning, and a Pump system to offer a custom fit, the 3D Match Day Pumps are loaded with comfort features. Our entire team was in agreement that the 3D Match Day Pumps offered plenty of comfort both on and off the courts. Finding instant comfort was Jeremy. "Just walking on to the courts in these shoes I knew they would be comfortable. You can't expect any less from a shoe that is this well built. The midsole is thick and the insole is very padded. The tongue is very padded as well, with the Pump adding to the comfort and support."

Chris was in agreement. "These were amazingly comfortable shoes. Everything from the cushioning to the uppers felt great. I found lots of cushioning without feeling elevated. Impressively, the shoes were comfortable on the first wear, and just got better as they broke-in. I really liked the fit and feel of every aspect of the 3D Match Day Pumps. These have become my favorite shoes for both practice and match play. The only downside was that they could have used more ventilation."

Finding a good fit along with plenty of comfort was Josh. "The Reebok 3D Match Day Pumps are definitely comfortable shoes. The leather is nice and soft and the width was perfect for my feet. The shoes were very cushioned and I didn't feel any pinching during play. The shoes also flexed really well with quick movements." Impressed by the level of cushioning was Danny. "The cushioning in these shoes was amazing. This was the most cushioned/comfortable ride that I have ever had. My feet were never poked, pinched or rubbed - excellent."

Arch Support

The 3D Match Day Pumps fit with a medium height arch support that seemed well suited to the various foot types of our test team. Finding good support for his medium height arch was Jeremy. "Arch support was just right for me. Having a medium arch, I would say that my foot is not too discerning between arch support in shoes. The arch support on this shoe fit very nicely and I would recommend it for a person with a medium arch." Also finding a good fit through the arch area was Chris. "The arch support felt like it was at a medium height to me. It offered a good fit and my feet felt very secure throughout the arch area. I found it easy to put these on and not have any concerns such as stress to my arches."

Josh found adequate support for his high arches. "The arch support was comfortable in this shoe, but not great. With the width of the shoe, the cushioning and the Pump technology, my foot was so comfortable overall I barely noticed the arch." Finding a better fit was Danny. "The arch support was just right. I did think that the arch support was somewhat low, but that didn't affect my movement or comfort."

Foot Support/Stability

The 3D Match Day Pumps are definitely built with support in mind. Both the Pump technology and the 360 degree support strap act together to secure the player's foot in place during aggressive on court movement. Impressed with the support and stability he was finding was Danny. "The foot support and stability was surprisingly good. I was worried about the width of the shoe. Generally, I like a shoe that is narrow. I usually have good support and stability when I use a narrow shoe. I think the Reebok pump is a medium width shoe, however I didn't have any problems with the foot support and stability."

While Jeremy found the support to be ok, Josh said, "the Pump technology and cut of the Match Day reminded me of a basketball shoe. The heavier leather and added cushioning provided a snug fit and filling the shoe with air by pumping it up only enhanced the feel. I had the same experience with my first pair of Reebok Pumps back in high school. On the tennis court, my ankles had good support and I didn't experience any slipping."

Most impressed with the support and stability of the 3D Match Day Pumps was Chris. "These have to be the most supportive shoes I've ever worn. They almost felt over-engineered for my height/weight (5'10", 160lbs). I found more than enough support, which was very comforting. I would imagine larger players looking for lots of support will enjoy these, too. The Pump system was useful in making the shoes fit nice and snug, even when wearing thin socks. I loved the velcro strap across the midfoot. While the velcro did tend to stick to the laces when putting the shoes on (a minor inconvenience), it allowed the midfoot area to be cinched down as tight as I wanted. Before matches I would give the straps a firm tug and really lock my feet into the shoes. Top marks here."

Overall Sole Durability

To take care of any durability concerns a player may have, Reebok has included a six-month durability guarantee for the outsoles of the 3D Match Day Pumps. Impressed with the level of durability he was finding the in the 3D Match Day Pumps was Jeremy. "The 3D Match Day Pumps have a very thick outsole, making this shoe very durable. Even after lots of play the wear on the shoes was minimal. I am pretty easy on my shoes, but do notice wear after about 8 hours of play. I found these to be much more durable than others brands. I would rank it up there with the Prince Viper in durability." Comparing the durability to other Reebok offerings was Chris. "Not the most durable outsoles, but up to par with most other performance shoes. While I found the Reebok Upsets and 3D Premier Pros to be more durable, the 3D Match Day Pumps held up fairly well. I put over 30 hours of play on these shoes during the test, and while I did see some outsole wear under the forefoot areas, the shoes are still going strong."

Danny found the level of durability to be above average for a performance tennis shoe. Josh agreed. "The 3D Match Day Pumps had a solid outsole to go with the durable uppers. The herringbone tread offered good grip on court and showed little wear during the playtest. With a six-month durability guarantee, these are every bit as durable as the Adidas Barricade IIs, Prince T10s and Nike Air Max Breathe Free IIs."

Toe Durability

The 3D Match Day Pumps feature a solid toe bumper comprised of outsole material which wraps up over the tip of the shoe. Despite some solid toe protection, Danny found plenty of wear at the toes of both shoes. "I wore out the toes in these shoes. However, toe durability was a little above average. I gave the shoes a really hard playtest and the first signs of wear occurred at the toe." Finding better durability was Chris "I was very impressed with the toe durability of the 3D Match Day Pumps. The toe areas are beefed up pretty well. The toe bumpers offered plenty of protection and held up very well to the abuse of hard court play."

Jeremy said, "While I don't drag my toe, the overall durability of this shoe was really good. Even after playing in the shoe for some time I noticed no significant signs of wear." Apart from some minor discoloration from contact with different court surfaces, Josh found excellent durability. "With a predominantly white upper (Josh wore the White/Navy version), the shoes picked up an array of colors from various courts. I had a huge clay-colored streak on my right toe after the first wear. After close review, the shoe was in perfect condition outside of the discoloration. The leather on the 3D Match Day Pump has a good combination of toughness and suppleness, and the toe cap is solid."

Traction

With a deep herringbone outsole pattern and a pivot point under the forefoot, the 3D Match Day Pumps are well suited to both hard courts and clay courts. Surprised by the level of traction was Danny. "The traction was surprisingly good. I played many practice matches with these shoes, and I also played a tournament in them. I never once had any problem with the traction of these shoes. I think the combination of the flex of the shoe and the herringbone tread allows them to have superb traction." Jeremy offered, "I had no real issues with traction on this shoe. The compound isn't nearly as soft as a Nike Breathe Free II, but to the 3D Match Day Pumps' credit, they do offer as much traction with better durability."

Chris was very pleased with the level of traction offered by the 3D Match Day Pumps. "I found excellent traction on the hard courts with these shoes. I was able to move very aggressively without any fear of slipping or sliding. It didn't matter if I was scrambling at the baseline or charging the net, these shoes offered excellent traction. The rubber on the outsoles was very pliable and was soft enough to offer plenty of grip even on dusty court surfaces." Also impressed was Josh. "The traction of the 3D Match Day Pumps was impressive. It wasn't compromised at all by the durability, unlike other durable shoes such as the Adidas Barricade 3s. The Match Day Pumps gripped the court well, and I felt confident stopping and starting quickly in these shoes."

Weight

To say the 3D Match Day Pumps compete in the heavyweight division would be putting it mildly. At 20.2 ounces for a size 10.5, these shoes are pretty hefty. While the Court Victory Pumps were medium weight shoes, the 3D Match Day Pumps are beefed up in every aspect. Noticing the weight the most was Josh. "I wear a size 10, and the 3D Match Day Pumps felt like tanks on my feet! Maybe the shoe needed to be bulkier to support the Pump technology, but the 3D Match Day Pumps were just plain beefy. Players with smaller feet didn't seem to have any problems with the weight, so my experience may be a bit isolated. However, 20.2 ounces for a size 10.5 is heavy! My reaction time seemed a bit sluggish in these shoes." Jeremy also found the shoes to feel weighty. "I really feel these shoes could have been a bit lighter. With these shoes being pretty heavy and also feeling pretty hot out on the court, they started to drag me down just a bit. Take into consideration that usually with heavier shoes you get more cushioning and comfort, and that is true with the these."

Chris said, "there's no getting around it, these are some heavy shoes. All of the comfort, support and durability comes at a price. While they did feel a little clunky on the first wear, once the shoes had fully softened up the sensation of the weight was not as noticeable. From then on I was getting a better heel to toe transition and soon forgot about the weight of the shoes altogether. While I usually favor light weight shoes, I felt like I was moving very well in these. The traction and stability really allowed me to go all out, and I felt like I was moving as well as I could." Danny also found the shoes to feel less heavy with wear. "These are some of the heaviest shoes that we have ever carried at TW. If you are looking for light shoes, then these aren't for you. However, I don't think the weight of these shoes effected my game. The weight became hardly noticeable when I was playing."

Overall

Don't be afraid of the weight. While the 3D Match Day Pumps were the heaviest shoes introduced for 2005, our team felt the on court performance far exceeded any weight concerns. The excellent comfort, stability and support of the 3D Match Day Pumps make them the perfect choice for both a large powerful player and a lighter player who relies on foot speed to win points. The outsoles proved to be solid on the hard courts, offering great traction and impressive durability. Plus, with a six-month durability outsole guarantee, hard court players can't go wrong. We were also impressed with the customization possible for the width fit. Both the stability strap and the Pump system allow a player to lock their feet into the shoes. With the 3D Match Day Pump we think Reebok has successfully returned the "Pump" to tennis. All that's missing is for some Chang like player to showcase them for some much deserved attention.

Reebok Match Day Pump Summary Sheet
The Up Side	The Down Side	Play Test Scores
Comfort Stability Support Traction Durability	Weight Lack of ventilation	Comfort 4.8 Arch Support 4.4 Foot Support/Stability 4.6 Overall Sole Durability 4.1 Toe Durability 4.5 Traction 4.8 Weight 2.6 Overall 4.5 Scores (1-Horrible 2-Poor 3-Average 4-Good 5-Tremendous)

Playtesters' Foot Types: Chris - narrow width/medium arch, Paul - medium-wide width/medium arch, Granville - narrow width/low arch, Don - wide width/medium arch.

Review date: Aug, 2005. If you found this review interesting or have further questions or comments please contact us.

All content copyright 2005 Tennis Warehouse.